Forbidden Acts
by krazyfan1998
Summary: When she was 7 years old, Princess Cameron of England was kidnapped by Joshua Abrams. Years later, he sells her into slavery in Egypt. She meets many new friends and ends up being a slave in Pharaoh's palace. What happens when the Pharaoh's son wants to learn more about her? And wait, her older brother is his best friend? Rated T because I'm paranoid :)
1. Chapter 1

CammiePOV:

I wanted, more than anything, to strangle them! How dare they drag me behind their camels like a piece of meat! If only they had known who I really was. They surely would've been sorry!

As the slave merchants dragged me through the dry desert towards Egypt, I couldn't really believe that anyone would treat another human being that way. How wrong I was!

My name is Cameron Anne Morgan. Yes, that's right, the missing princess of England. When I was seven years old I was kidnapped by a man named Joshua Abrams. I never really understood why I was taken. I wasn't even next in line for the throne! My older brother, Grant was the Crown Prince.

I could lie and say I was treated very nicely, that Joshua treated me like a daughter, but the truth is, he treated me like shit. Although he always fed me and such, I never really left my "room" until he was sure I was old enough to not be recognized. He liked come into my room at night and do things. I will spare you all the gory details.

After puberty hit, people in town started to take notice of me and the attractive woman I was becoming. Joshua saw this and started to panick. He was afraid that if someone got too close to me, they would figure out who I really was, so he sold me into slavery. Yup, slavery. Problem solved, right?

I love my life.

MerchantPOV:

The new girl was useless! She was always so slow, and she had this death glare that made a grown man shake in his sandals.

"Stand up straight, girl." I said. She immediately obeyed.

At least she was well-behaved and followed orders quickly.

She looked to be about seventeen years old and was, honestly, quite attractive in her own European way. Her wavy hair looked like it was made of pure gold, and her eyes were a light shade of grey with a hint of blue when the light hit them just right. She wasn't fat, nor was she too skinny. Her bones didn't protrude as much as the other female slaves I'd seen here. I couldn't help but think that she would be prefect for housework.

 _She could be worth a lot of money,_ I thought.

As people perused the port, I started to worry that she wouldn't sell. Then a man came to me, dressed in a guard-like uniform from a high-class family.

"I need a pretty one. She needs to be able to work in a banquet hall and clean chambers."

 _Perfect._

"Right this way, Sir," I said as I led him over to the girl. "This one here would be perfect for your employer. She is brand new, but very capable. I had the pleasure of heading her transport to Egyptspan style, and I must say, she's very good at following orders with no complaint."

He looked over her. "Yes, very nice. Very pretty. And not a scratch on her! She will do nicely. How much?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Fifteen pounds."

His eyes widened at my bold price, but I could tell he was going to pay it. "Very well."

He handed me the correct amount, grabbed the girl, and left the market.

CammiePOV:

The new, strange man took me to the docks, and in front of me was the most beautiful boat I had ever seen. I was reluctantly coaxed onboard. In other words, a spear was poking into my exposed lower back

"Kepi!"

A girl with piercing icy blue eyes and cropped black hair came out from behind a curtain, leading into an enclosed room. I knew from studying Egyptian that Kepi meant 'tempest.'

"Take the new girl to get cleaned up. She must be presentable when we arrive."

Kepi pulled me into the room she had just emerged from, where two other girls were waiting.

She turned to me and said, "My real name's Macey. They like to give the slaves Egyptian names. They named me Kepi because I have a tendency to flirt with the guards. Well, newbie, you should probably tell us your real name before they give you a new one."

"I'm Cameron, but most people call me Cammie."

"Well, Cammie, we have work to do."

To my surprise the two others in the room pulled at what I thought was their hair. I guess the slaves wear wigs to make them look more Egyptian.  
Macey pointed to one of the others. "That one's Elizabeth, or Liz for short. She's from France, originally. Her parents own a farm. When they ran out of money a few years ago, they and no choice but to sell her into slavery in order to keep from losing their land."

Liz was very petite with light blonde, shoulder-length hair and soft, hazel eyes. Her skin was pale, pink from the sun, and freckled. "They call me Sheriti," she said. That means 'little girl.'

"I'm Bex," said the other. "That's short for Rebecca, but don't ever call me that. They call me Sêshafi" That means 'angry woman', very fitting. Bex had very tan skin and eyes the color of chocolate. Her hair was a little curlier than mine and a very dark brown.

Macey came up to inspect me. "She needs to be washed, for sure.

I was then stripped of all my rags. Bex and Liz grabbed me by the arms and threw me into a tub of cold river water and started scrubbing me from head to toe. It felt nice compared to the dreadful heat of the Egyptian deserts. When I was out, I dried myself off while they conversed and picked out an outfit for me.

I slipped my new uniform on and looked at myself in a mirror. It was quite revealing, but felt like silk against my skin. The top was a white bandeau and a see-through shawl that reached mi mid-thigh on top. The bottom was a white wrap skirt with gold trimming that stopped a few inches from the ground. I was given gold strappy sandals and four gold necklaces of different lengths to put on. My golden blonde hair was pinned into a black wig. Thankfully, it was only a few inches shorter than my natural hair. On top of the wig was another necklace. The front had little dangly things that went all the way to my forehead like gold bangs. On my eyes I had the traditional winged eyeliner of Egypt.

Macey walked up behind me. "This is how you're going to look every day from now on," she said.

Just then, the boat we were on lurched to a stop. Now I was going to see who I belonged to.

 **I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS, ALLY CARTER DOES.**


	2. Chapter 2

CammiePOV:

As we prepared to get off the boat, I couldn't help but wonder what our master would be like.

"Who is our master?" I asked the others.

"What do you mean, Cammie?" Liz asked.

"Well, obviously, our master is wealthy, but who is he?"

"I guess I'm not surprised you don't know yet. They usually just assume you know who they are." Bex replied. "You now belong to Pharaoh and the royal family."

My eyes widened to the size of a silver platter.

ZachPOV:

As we waited for the new servant to arrive, my friends were betting on how hot she was going to be. Let's just say, my friends were weird like that. Grant's the Crown Prince of England, Nick was one of the higher guards. His mother was a servant in my father's chambers. Everyone was pretty sure he and I shared a father. Jonas is a little tamer, much quieter than the rest of us. He's my personal tutor and will be my main advisor when I become Pharaoh.

Oh, I should probably tell you, I am Prince Zachary, son of Pharaoh.

Speaking of my father, he shot us a silencing glare as the boat approached. "Nebtawi!" he scolded.

"Yes, Father?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Why couldn't he just call me Zachary?

"Behave yourself."

I straightened my spine as the boat stopped in front of us. Out came some guards and my personal slaves Sêshafi, Sheriti, and Kepi. Behind them came the new girl. I could hear my friends catcalling and paying up on their bet. I smirked at the perverted comments coming from the peanut gallery. I just stood and stared. I mean, this girl was gorgeous. She had perfect curves made obvious by the outfit she was wearing, and I couldn't see any marks on her. Either her previous owner treated her very well or she was brand new to slavery.

"Yes, very nice," said Pharaoh. He eyed her in a way that made my blood boil. Why? I had no idea. It had never bothered me before.

CammiePOV:

I absolutely hated the way the Pharaoh was looking at me. It made me even more uncomfortable in my new uniform.

One of the new guys walked up to me with an annoying smirk on his face. He didn't look much older than I was, and he had the most entrancing green eyes I had ever seen. He walked a slow circle around me.

"She is quite a sight. What do you think, son?" Pharaoh asked him. 'Green Eyes' nodded. "Then she is yours, my son. Treat her well or else I will have to steal her from you."

"Thank you, Father." He turned back to me and lifted my chin with is hand. "I name you Nefretiti, my dear." In case you don't know Egyptian like I do, that means 'I arrive with beauty.'

"Very appropriate, Nebtawi." 'lord of the world,' interesting. "I will leave you to it." Pharaoh turned and walked back into the palace.

Nebtawi smirked at me some more. I sighed inwardly. I couldn't help but think that things were about to take a turn for the worst.


	3. Chapter 3

CammiePOV:

I knew right away that this son of the Pharaoh was going to be a real pain in my ass. As I took in the world around me, I noticed a group of guys that also looked to be my age staring at me. Then I recognized one of them.

 _It's Grant!_

It was obvious that he didn't recognize me. Of course, he didn't; I'm sure he thought I was dead. He looked exactly like Dad with his brown curly hair and chocolate brown eyes. I missed my family so much. One of the other boys looked like he was a guard. He had obvious Egyptian blood in him but I could tell that he wasn't fully Egyptian either. The last one was a lot skinnier than the others. He had blue eyes and light brown hair peeking out from underneath his simple head dress.

Nebtawi moved back over to them. They must all be friends.

"Come on, Nefratiti. We will show you to the servants' quarters." Macey and the others pulled me along behind them and into the palace.

ZachPOV:

Later that day, I sat in my chambers reflecting on my day. I had a feeling my father was beginning to groom me to take his place as Pharaoh. Was he getting sick? Did he think he was going to die soon? I hoped not; I am not ready to be the ruler of Egypt.

"Hey, Buddy! What are you thinking about?" Grant asked. He must have come in without me noticing.

"Nothing."

"Zach, I've known you long enough to know when you're lying to me."

"I don't know. I'm just a little concerned. Have you noticed at all if my dad is ill?"

"Oh, I see where you're headed; and no, I have not," he said.

"He's been awfully nice to me, giving me new, beautiful servants and last week he gave me a stallion meant for himself. I think he's dying."

He didn't respond, and he didn't have to. I knew that he was starting to realize my concern. We sat there in silence for a while. Just then my servants made themselves known to us.

"Pardon, your Highness. We are showing Nefratiti around the palace," Sheriti explained.

"Oh, of course."

CammiePOV:

Macey, Bex, and Liz showed me around the palace and told me all the things were expected to do in every room.

"These are the prince's chambers," Macey said as she knocked.

"Come in," he said.

Grant was there too, and I could tell they had been talking about something very serious.

"Pardon, Your Highness. We are showing Nefratiti around the palace," Liz explained.

"Oh, of course."

Macey looked to me. "In here we will scrub the floors, dust pretty much everything, make the bed, and fold the clothes."

"Don't forget fulfill his sexual needs," Grant said with a wink.

"Don't listen to him, Cam. Grant's just a perverted asshole," Bex assured me. She glared daggers at him and he shut right up.

"Cam? Is that your real name?" I was surprised to see it was Nebtawi who asked.

"Uh...Yes, Your Highness. M-my real name is Cameron."

"You'll come to learn, Cameron, that I am quite different than my father. I like to learn things about my servants. I know that you are people; and I've found you often, come with interesting stories to tell."


	4. Chapter 4

ZachPOV:

After the servants left my quarters, I couldn't help but think about the new girl. She was very interesting, and I didn't know why, but I just really wanted more about her. I can tell she's new to slavery; however, she seems to know how to properly speak to royalty. She also takes orders easily without questioning. Very interesting.

"What just happened?" Grant asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You looked like you were trying to undress her with your eyes."

"Well yeah, she's hot," I said, confused as to why that was surprising. "It's not like I've never done that before."

"Sorry, I just—" he stammered. "She reminds me my little sister; her name was Cameron too."

I could see the tears forming in his eyes. I had heard of her. She disappeared in the middle of night about ten years ago. No one ever knew what happened to her, and after a while she was presumed dead.

"I understand. I'm sorry. I wish I could have known her," I said, and I meant it.

"You would've loved messing with her."

I couldn't help but smile. "I love messing with everyone, Grant. It's my favorite pastime."

"Tell me about it," he said with a smile. "Hey, my mom needs me back in England for a little while. I'll be back when I can."

"Okay. See you later, buddy." I clapped him on the back.

"See you."

CammiePOV:

Not long after we reached the servants' quarters, a knock was heard at the door. I went to answer it. It was Grant.

"Hey. I thought I should properly introduce myself. I am Grant Morgan, Crown Prince of England."

"It is truly nice to meet you, Your Highness. I am from England as well. However, I have not heard any recent news about the Royal Family. Tell me, how are the King and Queen?"

"Oh, um. Well, my father died a few months ago. My mother is the sole ruler until I find myself a wife and am deemed ready to be king."

My heart completely shattered. Father was dead? I couldn't believe it. Tears started falling from my eyes.

"I am so sorry to hear that. He was a wonderful king, he really loved his people," I said.

"Thank you, Cameron. He truly was a great ruler. It was very nice to have met you. I have to head back to England. I will come and visit as soon as I can."

After he had gone, I really broke down. The girls did their best to console me, not understanding why I reacted so strongly to this news. When I had finally calmed down somewhat, they were too scared to ask questions, and I was glad for that.

ZachPOV:

After Grant left, I went back to worrying about my dad. Was he really getting ready to die? Was I ready to be Pharaoh? It sure didn't feel like it.

 _As much as I hate my dad, I really hope he's okay._


	5. Chapter 5

CammiePOV:

Life at the palace that first week was pretty boring after Grant left. I learned all about my chores, and they had already become a routine. I scrubbed the floors in the courtyard, cleaned the prince's chambers, and served meals to the Pharaoh and his guests. I was surprised to find that Prince Nebtawi was not a frequent at Pharaoh's table. Apparently, he would only be invited when it was his table someday.

 _That's kind of cruel,_ I thought to myself.

One day I was cleaning the prince's chambers when he walked in. I was used to him not being there while I cleaned.

"Pardon me, Your Highness. Would you like for me to come back and finish later?"

"No, no. You can continue if you like," he said.

I continued my work while he watched me with that annoying smirk I'd come to know. I don't know that I'd ever seen him actually smile.

"Cameron, right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"So, Cameron, what's your story?"

"Pardon?"

"Where are you from?" More smirking.

"England." I tried my hardest to concentrate on my work, but as his slave, I had no choice but to answer his questions.

"Really? You know, my friend Grant is the Crown Prince there."

"Of course I do."

"Tell me about your family, Cameron." He looked genuinely interested.

"I guess you could say they are one of the wealthier families of England."

"Really? Then, if you don't mind my asking, how did you end up here?"

I sighed, giving up on trying to scrub the floor. "I was taken from them at a very young age. I have spent the last ten years a prisoner to a very sick man. When I became more submissive, he started to let me out into the market with him. However, he became paranoid that someone would get too close and recognize me. He sold me to a merchant and then the guard bought me from him and I arrived here."

I then returned to my work, hoping he would get the hint I didn't want to talk anymore. He didn't.

ZachPOV:

"What caused the paranoia?" I asked, curiously.

She sighed. "The men in the market started to take interest in me, asking him questions."

"I was right." She moved to look at me. "You did have an interesting story to tell."

"I'm glad my life is so entertaining to you, Your Highness," she said. I could hear the sarcasm in her voice; she was angry.

"It's better that mine. My life's pretty boring."

"Sure it is. I grew up around the palace too, you know."

"This I was surprised to hear. "Oh really?"

"My family spent quite a lot of time there. Most of my childhood memories are from the castle."

I knew she would be an interesting one from the moment I met her; however, I had never even imagined she would've spent time at the royal palace in England. That was reserved for only the most elite.

"Living up to my father's legacy is no easy task. I never have any interesting stories to tell, so I listen to the ones my servants tell me about their lives instead.

"Grant has to live up to his father's legacy too. Even more so because he's…dead." Her voice cracked, telling me that she was mourning the loss of her king.

Realizing she had spoken out of term, she hurried herself in finishing her work, obviously uncomfortable talking about her past. She scrubbed the last little corner like a mad woman and quickly collected her things.

"I apologize for my harsh words, Your Highness. I did not mean to offend you. I am finished with the room, so I will now take my leave." She bowed and rushed out of the room.

 _How is it she's always making my head spin?_


	6. Chapter 6

CammiePOV:

I felt so exposed in the prince's chambers, answering his very personal questions as best I could. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

When I finally reached the servants' quarters, my heart was pounding in my ears.

"You alright, Cam?" Liz asked.

"Did one of those nasty guards hit on you? Who was it? I'll kill him!" Bex was starting to get riled up. I decided I should probably say something before she got herself in some serious trouble.

"I'm fine, Bex. I was just cleaning the prince's chambers when he came in and started asking me a bunch of questions."

"Oh Yeah. He does that," Macey added.

"I just felt so uncomfortable and exposed. I got out of there as fast as I could."

"You're going to have to get used to the questions, Cammie. Zach loves to learn about the outside world, and the only way he can do that is through his servants," Bex explained.

Macey looked at me with a knowing smile. "Your story must be pretty juicy if you're this shaken up."

"I don't like talking about it, okay?" I snapped. "It's not exactly a pleasant tale."

"Well, like Bex said, you're going to have to talk about it eventually. You could try to start by telling us some of it," Liz suggested.

"Yeah. And in return we'll tell you ours."

I sighed in defeat, knowing I had no choice. If I didn't do it willingly they would just force it out of me, and I'd heard the stories of what Bex does to do that. "Can someone else go first?"

"Bex?"

"Okay, okay, I'll go first." She pulled off her wig and Liz and I followed. "My full name is Rebecca Marie Baxter. I'm from England, like you. When I was just eight years old, my parents were arrested and wrongly accused of treason. I got put into a home that was struggling to keep us all fed. In order to make more money, they were selling some of us to the merchants that travelled up there. Unfortunately, I drew the short straw and ended up here. I had another master before this that was not as nice. He really loved using his whip. He eventually sold me after a particularly rough beating because he thought my near-death experience would make me too weak to work. How wrong he was, huh?"

"Wow, Bex. That's crazy! You really almost died?" I asked, astonished.

"Yup. Okay, who's next?"

"I'll go," Macey replied. "My story isn't quite so dramatic. My last name is McHenry and I'm a slave because I was born as one. My mother was a servant in the Pharaoh's dining hall, and my father is a friend of the Pharaoh. He had attended a supper here and my mother was serving the food. Afterwards, he raped her and left. She died about a year before you got here, Bex."

"I didn't know that," Liz said. "Does he know about you?"

"My dad? Yeah, I'm sure, but he doesn't care. I've never actually met him."

"I guess it's my turn now. I'm Elizabeth Sutton, and my parents are farmers in France. I have two younger sisters and a brother. When I was about 13, they were really struggling to keep us all fed. They knew the only way they could keep the farm was if they sold one of us to the merchants, and as the oldest, I volunteered. I've only ever been here, and I'm very thankful for that. God must have seen my sacrifice for my family and rewarded me by sending me here to keep me safe from the whips and chains."

"That was very brave of you, Lizzie," Macey assured her.

"Do you know if your family is still okay?" I asked.

"I don't, but I have hope that they are. Someday, I hope to see them again."

"Now it's your turn, Cam," Bex said. They all looked at me expectantly.

"My full name is Cameron Anne Morgan, Princess of England."

"What?!"

"Does that mean that Grant is your brother?" Liz asked.

"Yeah. Grant is my older brother. When I was seven years old, a man named Joshua Abrams stole me from my family. I was his prisoner for ten years, he did some pretty terrible things to me, kept me in a cage in his basement. After a while, I became more obedient and he started to let me go with him to the market. As I got older, more of the men in the market started to take an interest in me. They were always asking him questions about me, wanting to have me for their own. Joshua got really paranoid that someone would recognize me, so he sold me to a merchant and now here I am. I had only been at the port for a day or so when the guard came and bought me."

"Now it makes sense why your reacted so strongly when you found out King Mathew had died. He was your dad, and you didn't know he was already gone," Liz said sadly. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Cammie."

"Thank you."

"What I don't understand is why you don't just tell everyone who you are. You wouldn't have to be here if they knew you were a princess," Macey asked, seeming a little suspicious.

"I have tried before, but no one believed me. Joshua let me go without food or water for a few days after that and I never tried again. Everyone thinks that I'm dead, so no one would believe my story."

"And you'd be killed," Bex said sadly. I nodded.

"Well, we won't tell anyone, we promise," Liz assured me.

I smiled and said, "I'm so glad that I have you all as my friends."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:Oh my gosh, guys! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've been suffering from some major writer's block. Because you guys have been so patient I'll try to get another chapter out tonight.**

CammiePOV:

Gossiping was a very popular thing in the servants' quarters. Someone would hear something about someone else and share it with their friends. And within a day, all of us knew. That day was no different.

"Pharaoh got another visit from the priests today," said a woman I didn't know.

"Something must be really troubling him. They visited him just last week, didn't they?"

"I heard Prince Nebtawi say he's getting ill," Macey added.

"Does that mean he's going to die soon?" Liz asks innocently. No one answered for a long time.

"I don't know, Liz," I said. "But I have to get to work now. The prince's chambers need cleaning."

ZachPOV:

I was lounging on my bed when Cammie came in. She really was quite beautiful and her body curved wonderfully with her uniform. She obviously hadn't known that I was there and immediately got to her work.

 _She must be distracted by something,_ I thought.

"Why, hello, Nefratiti," I said, making her jump.

"Oh! I apologize, Your Highness. I did not see you there. Should I come back later?" she asked, looking flustered.

"No, that's alright. I will leave you to it." I started to get up and walk out when the curiosity got to me. "Hey, you alright? You looked distracted when you came in."

She looked up from her work. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about something."

I sat back down, intrigued. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing really, just thinking."

"Okay." I could tell she wasn't going to give me a real answer so I let it go.

"Have you decided to stay?" she asked.

"Yes. Tell me more about your family. Do you have brothers? Sisters?"

"I had my mother, father, and an older brother."

"Had?"

"Last I heard, my father has since passed."

I remembered how hard it was for my friend Grant when his own father died. "I'm very sorry for your loss. Losing someone you love is never easy."

"I will never see him again," she said with tears in her eyes.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

CammiePOV:

I must admit, I never expected Prince Nebtawi to be comforting. He placed his hand on my shoulder and consoled me.

I was able to keep myself together until he left the room. A small tear escaped and rolled down my cheek, splashing into my bucket of soapy water. Eventually, I was sobbing inconsolably, not caring who might be able to hear my cries.

After a few minutes, the girls burst into the room, finding me a wet mess on the floor of the prince's chambers.

"Cammie!" Liz exclaimed. She kneeled beside me and pulled me into a bone-crushing embrace.

"We need to get her out of here," Macey said. She and Bex came to either side of me and hoisted me to my feet.

"You guys get her the servants quarters. I'll stay and finish up in here," Liz said.

"Got it."

Macey and Bex steered me towards the door. As we exited, my eyes met Prince Nebtawi's. He was leaning against the wall, genuine concern on his gorgeous features.

 _He must've herd me crying and gone to get them,_ I realized.

ZachPOV:

As I watched Kepi and Sêshafi practically carry her away, I felt a strong sense of guilt. It was my fault she was like this. I should never have asked her about her father.

Sheriti exited my chambers carrying Cammie's cleaning supplies.

"Thank you for telling us, Your Highness. She only just recently found out that her father has died, and she hasn't been taking it well."

"I understand. She should count herself lucky to have friends like you three."

She smiled and quickly followed the others.

 _Soon I will have to grieve my own father. Will I be as devastated as she is?_


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNING! This chapter contains sexual content**

CammiePOV

"When I woke up the next morning, I was totally mortified. The prince had seen me completely break down. All he did was ask me about my family and I freaked out.

"Next time I see him, I will make sure to apologize and tell him that it wasn't his fault.

Well, turns out it would be a while before I was able to do that.

"Where did he go?" I asked.

"I heard he went to visit Prince Grant in England. Things are getting crazy up there," one of the other servants replied

"Yeah, apparently the people there aren't very happy that their sole rule is a woman. Prince Grant is feeling the pressure to find a wife and have a son so that he can take over," Bex explained.

Hearing this was very worrying for me. My brother must be terrified. What if the people rebel and try to overthrow Mom?

Seeing the worry on my face, Bex ushered everyone but the four of us out, scolding them for slacking on their chores.

"You okay, Cammie?" Macey asked.

"I'm worried. I don't think my brother even has his eye on anyone right now."

"He'll find someone, I'm sure of it," Liz said, trying to comfort me. "Come on. We all need to start on our chores."

The rest of the week went by with no problems. I constantly thought about Grant and prayed that he would find a suitable wife soon.

"Hey, Cam? Ready to clean the throne room with me?" Macey asked.

"Oh yeah. So ready."

She handed me my supplies and we headed down the hall to the gigantic throne room. When we finally reached the door, there was a guard at the door. I recognized him as one of the men I'd seen with Zach and Grant when I first arrived. What was his name?

"Excuse me, sir." Macey was really milking it, obviously flirting with the poor guard; and from what I could tell, it was totally working. "Can you please let us through?"

The guard cleared his throat and moved to the side. "Of course."

We walked past him and Macey gave him a wink. The poor guy just about tripped over his own spear.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You were totally flirting with that guy."

"So? I flirt with guards all the time."

"But never that obviously."

"Too much?"

"A little."

"Well shit. I really liked that one."

I snapped my head in her direction. "Really?"

"Duh! Nick is the hottest guy here."

So that's his name.

After that we continued in silence. Both of us focusing on our jobs so we could get out of there as fast as possible. The throne room was the least favorite of every slave's tasks. If you happen to still be cleaning when Pharaoh comes in, bad things happen.

"Done!" Macey exclaimed. She rushed out of the room. Normally she would help me finish my part but that guard really had her twisted and I was very close to finished as well.

Just as I was finishing, he entered the room. I was surprised to see that the Pharaoh was alone this time. Usually, he was followed by a few priests and servants carrying large palm leaves to shield him from the harsh sun.

Immediately, I bowed low to the floor. "I apologize, Your Highness. I was just leaving."

Much to my surprise, he waved his hand. "Think nothing of it, my dear." By this time, he had come to stand a few inches in front of me.

"T-thank you, Your Highness. You are very kind." I moved to leave and he grasped my wrist, pulling me back towards him.

"What's your hurry? Stay." He smiled sweetly. "What is your name, my dear?"

"N-Nefratiti, Your Highness," I stammered, slightly bowing to him once again.

"Nefratiti. I remember you now." He gently lifted my chin to look at him. "It truly is a fitting name." He slowly brought his face closer to mine. I knew exactly what would happen next.

I closed my eyes and he smashed his lips to mine. I felt his hand start to creep up my thigh through the slit in my skirt and went numb.

ZachPOV:

My trip to England was a stressful one. I saw right through Grant's tough exterior and saw a very scared young man. I had done my best to try and comfort him and suggested he come back to Egypt with me. I knew lots of wealthy Egyptian men with beautiful, young daughters that would love to have marry a foreign prince. Heck, he could even take one of my slaves if he so chose. However, he insisted on staying in England with his mother. She was planning a ball to find him a bride.

My boat docked at the palace and I stepped off, glad to be back home. A young male servant stood waiting for me to give him an order.

"You may take my luggage to my chambers. I am going to visit my father."

"Yes, Your Highness." He ran off with the heavy load and I strolled up to the front of the palace.

Father should be in the throne room about now, I thought.

The guards at the door bowed and welcomed me home. Then they opened the doors to the throne room.

I walked into the room with my signature smirk gracing my lips. Almost immediately it was replaced with an angry scowl. There was my father, lips locked with none other than Cammie; and his hand was starting to disappear beneath her skirt.

"Father!" I barked.

He jumped away from her in surprise. "My son! Welcome home!"

I intensified my glare. "Glad to be back."

Cammie looked absolutely terrified. I examined her a little closer and I could see obvious relief. I motioned for her to gather her things from the floor. She shot me a look of gratitude and hurried out. I looked back to my father.

He smiled deviously. "She really is very beautiful. I hope to see her again."

"You won't. I'll be sure of that," I growled through my teeth.

"Tell me, Nebtawi. How was England?"

"It was fine."

"Someone is in a sour mood."

"I'm going now, Father." I stormed out of the room before he could respond. 


	9. Chapter 9

CammiePOV:

 _Thank god for Zach! He saved me back there._

I ran through the doors to find Macey making out with Nick the Guard.

"Hey, Cam. You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I decided it would be best if I kept what had just occurred to myself. Macey seemed pretty content with her situation and I didn't want to get in trouble for accusing Pharaoh. I knew what could happen if the wrong person overheard me.

"Well, I'm going back to the servants' quarters. You coming?"

"Actually, I think I'll stay here just a little longer," she replied.

"Okay. Be safe, you two." I gave her a wink and continued on.

I walked as calmly as I could back to our quarters. I emptied my bucket and washed my cloth. I hung my things out to dry and began to think.

After a while of obsessing over everything that happened in the throne room, I started to wonder how his trip had gone. How was Grant doing? I made sure to ask him tomorrow when I cleaned his quarters, after thanking him for saving me. I was so lucky for him to have come in when he did.

ZachPOV:

When I arrived at my chambers, I flopped onto my bed. I was still fuming from what I had walked in on. I'd known my father did these kinds of things; heck, I had a half-brother because of it (Nick)! However, never had I actually seen it with my own eyes It didn't help that it was Cammie, either.

 _That girl gets me all up in a twist._

When I awoke the next morning, I didn't leave my room the whole day. I needed to speak with Cammie, and make sure she was okay.

CammiePOV:

I couldn't help but feel nervous as I made my way to Prince Nebtawi's chambers. I had avoided this chore as long as I could. Everything else was done. I took a deep breath and walked in.

Of course, he was lounging on his bed. I bowed to him and said, "Good afternoon, Your Highness."

He looked at me with concern. "Afternoon, Cammie."

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday. And for the day before you left. I know you were the one who went and got the girls to help me."

"I've always known my dad had a tendency to get handsy with the servants; but I've never actually seen it with my own eyes. It makes me sick." He looked back at me. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

He didn't look convinced.

"I really am. I-I've had a lot worse happen to me."

"What?" He jumped to his feet. "Has he done this to you before?"

"No, Your Highness. I meant before I came here."

"So it was…what's his name?...James? He did this kind of thing to you?"

"Joshua."

He sat back down on the bed. "If you don't mind my asking, what exactly did he do to you?"

I looked down at the floor, noticing a spot I had missed. "Terrible things."

"Oh."

I tried changing the subject. "How was your trip to England? I heard that people there are getting angry with the royal family."

He relaxed a little, obviously grateful I had asked about something else. "You could say that. Poor Grant is really feeling the pressure to get married so he can produce an heir and take over for his mother."

"That's terrible. How's he handlng it?"

"He puts on a good front, but I've known him too long. I can tell it's been tough."

 _Oh no,_ I thought. _I wish, more than anything, that I could help him._

"Queen Rachel is throwing a giant ball to find him a nice wife. I'll probably need one of those soon too."

"Really?"

"It won't be long before my father dies and passes the title along to me."

"What makes you think he'll die soon?" I ask.

"I think that he's been ill lately. He's been spending a lot of time with the priests and healers."

"I had noticed that but I wasn't sure what it meant."

I then returned to my work and he left me to do it in peace."

ZachPOV:

She seemed okay, and that was suspicious. It didn't matter if it had happened to her before; it still wasn't natural for her to be so calm and collected. She was definitely holding back. I let her work in peace for a while before I spoke again.

"Look, I'm sorry for what happened before I left. I never meant to hurt you."

She looked up from her chore. "It's okay. I know you didn't. You're a very kind master, Your Highness. We are all lucky to be here."

I was speechless. I never expected her to say that. Did she really mean it? "T-thank you, Cammie."

She smiled and my heart stopped. I'd never known anyone like her. She had just been sexually assaulted, her father had recently died; and here she was, smiling at me like nothing was wrong.

 _She is truly amazing._


	10. Chapter 10

CammiePOV:

After my talk with the prince, I hurried back to the servants' quarters. Unfortunately, three very suspicious friends were waiting for me.

"Uh…hey guys." I tried my best to act as normal as possible, but I could tell from their faces they weren't buying it.

Liz spoke out first. "What's wrong, Cammie?"

"What do you mean? I'm fine."

The slight raise of Macey's brow made me realize that there was no way I could get away from this.

I sighed. "Okay. This can't leave this room, got it?"

"You know you can trust us," Liz replied.

"Something happened after you left yesterday, Macey."

They all leaned in closer.

"Right as I finished, Pharaoh came into the room. And he was alone." I heard them gasp, knowing how abnormal that was. "He kind of, sort of came onto me."

"WHAT!?" Liz gasped.

"Oh Cammie. I'm so sorry I left you alone with him."

Bex stayed silent, but I could tell she was pissed by the murderous look starting to form.

"It's alright, Macey. Prince Nebtawi chose that exact moment to come strolling through the doors."

"So he stopped him?" Liz asked. I nodded in response.

"Good for nothing asshole. I'm going to kill him." Bex was fuming at this point.

"No, Bex. You could be killed for even saying that," Macey scolded. "We should just count ourselves lucky that nothing worse happened."

"Yeah. I'm fine, I promise. Joshua was constantly doing worse things to me."

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that," Liz said.

Everyone started calming down after that. I told them about my encounter with Zach earlier that day and then we all discussed Grant. I couldn't imagine how terrified he must've been. He was under so much pressure now.

 _I wish I could help him somehow._

ZachPOV:

I'd been back for a few days, and things were starting to go back to normal. I decided to go visit my father's chambers. I hadn't spoken to him since I caught him with Cammie. I walked up to the magnificent doors and the guard let me in. I noticed one of them was my good buddy Nick and patted him on the back as I passed.

"Prince Nebtawi. What brings you to my chambers today, son?"

"Father." I bowed slightly. "How have things been here in Egypt while I was gone?"

"Just fine. The harvest came in. It was plenty."

"Wonderful news. And how are you, Father? I noticed before I left that the priests had been visiting you quite often."

"My time in this world is limited, my son. You must start preparing to take my place as Pharaoh. I do not know how much I left to give to this country. I suggest you find a suitable wife within the next few months."

I nodded. "Yes, Father. I'll be going now." I hurried out of the chambers as quickly as I could.

 _I'm not ready to be Pharaoh yet. What am I going to do? And where am I going to find a wife?_

"Oof."

I hadn't been paying attention to my surroundings and ran into someone.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness." It was Cammie.

"That's quite alright, Nefriti. It was completely my fault. I just have a lot on my mind."

She looked at me with concern. "Would you like to talk about it?"

I looked at her questioningly.

"You're constantly listening to me talk about myself, Your Highness. I don't mind returning the favor every once in a while."

"That's very kind of you, Cammie. However, I must go now. I will let you get back to your chores."

"Of course." She bowed as I walked away.

When I arrived at my chambers, I could tell she hadn't come in to clean yet that day. I would wait for her to come to me.

 _Can I trust her with what's going on? Should I?_


	11. Chapter 11

CammiePOV:

My encounter with the prince earlier had my heart pounding and my head spinning.

 _I wonder what's bothering him? Is it anything I can help him with?_

When I entered his chambers later that day, he was laying on his bed with his arm covering his eyes.

"Hello Your Highness."

He peeked out from under his arm just enough to see me. "Oh. Hey Cammie."

I started my work and we were both silent for a whole ten minutes.

"My father is dying."

I stopped scrubbing the floor and looked at him. "I'm sorry."

"He told me today that I need to start preparing to become Pharaoh. And that I must find a wife soon."

"Well, think about it this way. You and Prince Grant can look for wives together," I offered, trying my best to make it easier on him.

He chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

After a long pause, I asked, "Tell me what you're thinking about right now."

"I-I don't know."

"You don't know what you're thinking about?" I teased.

"Huh. Well, I guess I'm thinking about how I don't feel ready for this." He finally sat up and looked down at the ground. "I'm terrified. I can't become Pharaoh! I don't know anything about how to run a country."

I looked at him again. "You think of your people first. A good ruler puts the needs of the country as a whole over his own."

He finally looked me in the eyes. "Will you help me?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

"How do I put the country before myself?" He asked.

"Unfortunately, not every request can be granted. You will never be able to say yes to everyone who comes to you with a problem. However, when a majority of people start to have similar problems, something in the way the country is run must be changed or the people will revolt."

"How do you know all this?" He asked, astounded.

 _Oh shit. What do I say without him getting too curious?_

"I…uh…I learned it as a child."

"What a strange thing to teach a young girl," he pondered.

"My parents felt that it was important to learn how my country is run," I explained.

ZachPOV:

 _This girl is so amazing,_ I thought to myself as I watched her do her chores.

"I'm finished now, Your Highness." She started to leave.

"Hey Cammie?" She turned to look at me. "Thanks."

She smiled and my heart fluttered. When she left, I felt empty once again. I slumped back onto my bed, lost in my thoughts.

Throughout the next few days, Cammie would come in to clean and teach me more and more about how to rule a country. Apparently, I had a choice to make. How did I want the people to view me? Did I want my people to love me, or fear me?

One day, I did something very, very stupid.

Cammie was cleaning and teaching me how to compose speeches. I couldn't help but think how smart she was. When she was finished, both with her lesson and her chores, she bowed to me.

"Will that be everything for today, Your Highness?"

I stood from my place on the bed and walked toward her. "Yes, Cammie. Thank you."

She smiled that gorgeous smile I had become all too familiar with. "It's my pleasure."

Somehow, I had gotten myself only a few inches from her. I stared into her blue-grey eyes and realized how similar they looked to the sea. I closed the small gap between us and pressed my lips to hers.

She gasped into the kiss, and I finally snapped out of whatever trance I had just been in. Realizing what I had done, I stepped away and took in the pure shock written all over her beautiful face. She quickly gathered up her things and practically ran out the door.

 _What the hell was that, idiot?_

I threw myself onto my bed in confusion and shame.

CammiePOV:

When I felt Prince Nebtawi's lips on mine, I could not help but gasp in surprise. Then, just as soon as they were there, they were suddenly not anymore.

I could see from the look on his face that he was just as surprised at the kiss as I was. Panicking, I grabbed my things and got out of there.

By the time I had reached the servants' quarter, I was practically sprinting. I went inside and put my things away as calmly as possible before setting myself on my little mattress in the corner of the room.

I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. If anyone had said anything to me, I don't think I would've heard it. I put my hand to my lips; they were tingling.

 _What the hell just happened?_

I knew that Zach would not have tried to come on to me after the incident with his father. So what was he thinking when he kissed me? I had no idea.

I groaned and fell back on the mattress. I put my arm over my eyes, just as I had seen him do a few days ago.

By the time the girls had returned from their chores as well, I was fast asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

CammiePOV:

It had been a few days since the prince had kissed me. I was avoiding him as best I could, asking Liz to trade chores with me for a little while. I thought it would keep me from thinking about it, and him.

It didn't.

In fact, it made it worse. I was constantly wondering why he did what he did. I wanted to know what he had been up to this past few days. What did he think when Liz showed up to clean his chambers instead of me?

I was in the servants quarters, thinking about Zach, when I decided it was time to face him.

"Hey Liz?" She turned to look at me. "Thanks for taking my chores for a little while. I can take them back now."

She smiled. "Of course, Cammie. No problem."

Then I walked out and started on my chores. I would do the prince's chambers last today, giving us time to talk and then continue teaching him about being Pharaoh.

As the day went on, I tried my best to stay focused on my tasks. This proved to be difficult.

 _What am I going to say?_

I stood in front of the doors to Prince Nebtawi's chambers, took a deep breath, and went inside.

ZachPOV:

 _I really messed up this time,_ I thought to myself.

I hadn't seen Cammie since I kissed her. Sheriti had been the one cleaning in here since then. I should never had kissed her. I really did need her help. She was my only way to prepare for the inevitable future.

I had my arm to my eyes when I heard someone enter the room. I couldn't bother myself to lift the arm from eyes to see who it was.

"H-hello, Your Highness," the voice said. I immediately recognized it.

I sat up a little too fast. "Cammie!"

She was certainly a sight for sore eyes. I could tell she was nervous.

"Where have you been?" I asked.

She looked down. "I switched chores with Liz for a few days."

"Okay. Well, we have a lot to talk about, huh?"

"Yeah." She paused for a moment. "Why'd you do it?"

I wasn't expecting her to ask me that. Why did I do it?

… _Because I wanted to…Because she was beautiful._

"I-I'm not sure." I tried. "I just kind of, did it."

She nodded and finally began her cleaning.

Panicking I added, "But I never intended anything, I swear. I'm not my father."

"I know. I never thought that."

"Really? I thought that that was maybe why you didn't come back."

She looked at me with guilt-ridden eyes. "No, of course not. I just needed some time to stop my head from spinning."

"And why was it spinning?" I prodded.

She blushed and looked back at the floor, scrubbing a little too hard. "We need to continue your lessons, Your Highness."

I smirked. "Alright. But I'm not finished with you."

"Today we should talk more about what to do when faced with a drought."

I laid down on the bed, propping myself up with an elbow, still smirking.


	13. Chapter 13

CammiePOV:

"I'm finished for the day, Your Highness."

He looked up from his parchment and smiled. I realized that that was probably the first time I'd ever seen him smile a real smile. It was usually just a smirk from Prince Nebtawi. I had to admit, it was a rather gorgeous smile.

"I'm really glad you came back, Cammie. I actually enjoy our time together."

Now that I had definitely not expected. "Th-thank you. I do too."

He stood up and started to walk toward me. "Cammie, do I make you nervous?" he asked. The smirk was back.

"No, of course not, Your Highness. I just-I—"

And I would never find out what the answer I had in mind was because before I could, the prince's lips were on mine once again. Not really knowing what to do, I just stood there. When he pulled away, I could see he was judging my reaction, but I was still in shock.

Suddenly, he smiled again. "Ha! I knew I couldn't be alone in this."

"W-what are you talking about?"

"You feel it too, don't you? That, that spark. I can see it written all over your face."

I did feel something, but I wasn't sure what it meant. I needed something to throw him off track until I did. Then, an idea hit me.

I smirked and stepped closer to him. "So, Your Highness, did your brain stop working again?" His eyes bulged. "Or do you actually want to kiss me?"

I picked up my things and strutted out of the chambers.

"Until tomorrow, Prince Nebtawi."

ZachPOV:

 _What the hell was that?_

I stared at my door a whole ten minutes after Cammie had walked through them. Where did that come from? Cammie never struck me as the kind of girl that would do something like that.

I threw myself on to the bed. I needed to think some things through. As strange as that little act was, Cammie had a point. Why did I kiss her again?

CammiePOV:

As I headed back to the servants' quarters, I started to feel a blush forming on my cheeks. By the time I reached them, the warmth had spread to the entire rest of my body. I needed help with this one.

"Cammie, hey. How was your da—" Macey looked at my obvious disheveled state and immediately knew something was up. "What happened to you?"

"Can I ask you guys something? About Prince Nebtawi?"

They all looked at each other, nodded, and looked back at me. Thank god it was just the four of us in there.

"Does he ever, you know, do things with his servants?"

"What do you mean, Cammie?" Liz asked.

Macey leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms. "So that's why you wanted to switch with Liz these past few days. Something happened, didn't it?"

I looked down, blushing some more. "He kind of, sort of, kissed me a few days ago as I was leaving him chambers. I didn't know what to do."

"I swear, if he has any bad intentions, I will not hesitate to cut off his balls."

"I don't think that'll be necessary, Bex," Macey assured her. "Prince Nebtawi is very well known for the fact that he doesn't do these sorts of things."

"Then why'd he kiss Cammie?" Liz asked.

"I'm not sure. Cammie, you went back to your regular chores today, right?" I nodded. "Did you guys talk about it at all?"

"Well, he said that his brain stopped working in that moment, and assured me that he was not his father."

Macey nodded, gesturing for me to finish the story.

"He said he was worried I thought that he was and that that was why I hadn't been there for a few days."

"And what'd you say?" Liz asked.

"I told him the truth. I said I needed time to stop my head from spinning. Then he got all cocky and asked me why. I changed the subject and it worked, for a while."

"Until?" Bex asked.

"Until I was getting ready to leave. Then he kissed me again, and gaited my reaction afterword."

"He kissed you again?" Macey asked, obviously pondering.

I nodded and continued. "He said that he could see in my face that I felt the same spark he did."

"And did you?"

"Yes, but I didn't tell him that. I realized the only way I was going to get out of there is if I caught him off guard. So I mustered up all the courage I had, and asked him if it was his brain again, or if he really did want to kiss me. Then I high-tailed it out of there, and here I am."

"What do you think, Macey?" Bex looked to our boy-expert.

"I think that this is definitely not him taking advantage of her."

"Oh, thank god!" Liz gasped.

"I think he's forming real feeling for you, and he's confused. He wants to know how you feel about him before he tries anything more."

Wait. Hold on just a second. Are you saying that he's crushing on her for real?" Bex asked. Macey nodded.

"What do we do about it?" Liz asked.

Well, I think that's up to Cammie." Macey turned to look at me. "Are the feelings mutual?"

"I-I don't know."

She smiled. "That's a 'yes' then."

The other three girls looked at each other, plotting something through eye communication.

"Start Operation Zammie," Macey smiled deviously.

 _Oh no._


	14. Chapter 14

**I AM SO SO SO SORRY YOU GUYS! I PROMISE I'M NOT GIVING UP ON THIS STORY. I'M CURRENTLY A FULL-TIME COLLEGE STUDENT SO PLEASE BE PATIET WITH ME. I TRY TO UPDATE WHEN I CAN.**

 **SO BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE ALL SO AMAZING, I MADE THIS ONE SUPER FULL OF ZAMMIE3**

CammiePOV:

"So, at the end of the day, come back here. I want to touch up your eye makeup before you go to the prince's chambers."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, Macey. But don't you think that's kind of pointless?"

She scoffed. "No way. It'll make all the difference, trust me."

"Fine. I'm leaving now. I'll be back later. And if you aren't here, I won't wait for you."

"I'll be here, I swear," Macey said.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my stuff. "Bye."

I went throughout my day as normally as I could. I was sure that Zach would confront me about my behavior the day before. What had he thought of it? I tried not to think about what would happen when I got to the prince's chambers. Unfortunately, that was failing, as it always did when it came to him.

After finishing my work, I made my way back to the servants' quarters. "And she isn't here. Of course," I said to myself. Sighing, I sat down on a chair to wait for her.

ZachPOV:

I sprawled on my bed, thinking about the slave that constantly made my head spin and my heart pound. A single girl had me questioning everything I thought I knew.

I spent the entire day waiting around, hoping to all the gods that she would show up that day. It was getting late and he still hadn't seen her.

Suddenly, she was there.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness," she said, bowing to me. When she lifted her head again, I noticed that the liner on her eyes had been refreshed. It looked really good on her.

"Well hello, Nefratiti," I said with my signature smirk. Praying she wouldn't notice how much she affected me.

She blushed and got to work. "What else would you like to know about being Pharaoh?"

I thought for a moment. "What should I be looking for in a wife? I mean, I doubt just anyone can be Queen of Egypt."

That obviously caught her off guard. She stopped cleaning and seemed to think for a moment before replying. "You'd be right. Your wife should have excellent manners and unrequited beauty. It would also be helpful for her to know a little about what it means to be Pharaoh."

 _So basically, you?_ I thought to myself.

She looked at me and I nodded to signal that I had been listening. "Will she help me with running the country?"

She shook her head. "Not normally, no. From what I understand, the Pharaoh's wife is more just for having children and being arm candy."

"Oh."

"But I guess she could help you behind closed doors, giving advice."

My face lit up again. "I might want one of those. I'm worried that there'll be things that I will need help with."

She nodded and I let her work in peace for a little while. I didn't want to distract her too much.

"How is Pharaoh doing lately? I haven't heard anything in a while."

I looked down at my hands. "He's uh…he's not doing so well."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Would you to talk about it?"

I _did_ want to talk about it. Grant being gone, I didn't really have anyone to go to. I decided to open up to her. "I don't think he has two months left in him. He's struggling to even get out of bed."

"That's terrible. I'm so sorry. Losing your family is hard."

I thought for a moment about what to say. "I've never really been close with my dad. He's a jerk."

"That doesn't mean you aren't allowed to be sad. He's still your father, Zach."

I looked at her quizzically. "I don't understand you sometimes, Cammie."

She smiled. "Yeah. I don't really understand me either."

I laughed and let her continue her work.

CammiePOV:

"Hey, Cammie?" Prince Nebtawi broke the silence. I looked up from scrubbing the floor.

"Yes?"

He gave me a slight smile. "Thanks for listening. I usually talk to Grant about these kinds of things."

I smiled. "Of course, Your Highness."

"Things have just been so crazy lately." He let himself flop back onto his bed.

"Have you heard from him? Grant, I mean."

He sat back up. "Actually, I think he should be coming back here soon."

 _Thank god. He'll be safe here._ "That's good. Has he had any luck finding a wife yet?"

"Nope. While I was there, I offered to help him find one here. And that after the fiasco at the ball his mother threw for him, I think he's starting to consider it."

I looked up from my work. "What fiasco? What happened? Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah. Everyone's fine. He just had a little too much wine and puked right on the girl he was dancing with."

I gasped. "Oh my!"

He started to laugh. "That's my friend all right. When he gets stressed, he drinks and eats just about everything in sight."

"That actually doesn't surprise me at all," I said through my giggles. I stood up and brushed off my skirt. "All done for the day."

"Already?"

I could feel my cheeks getting warmer. "Yes, Your Highness."

He stood and made his way to me. Taking my hand, he looked me right in the eyes. "Please stay. Just a little longer."

My cheeks felt like they were on fire. "O-okay."

He moved his face closer to mine. His eyes moved down to my lips for a split second before returning to my eyes. "I'm going to kiss you now."

"O-okay."

He put his hand on the base of my neck. The feeling sent shivers down my spine. When his lips connected with mine, I felt that spark again. My hands were resting on his bare chest, and the skin underneath felt so warm. _He_ felt warm.


	15. Chapter 15

ZachPOV:

As we pulled apart, her eyes fluttered open and peered at me. I immediately wanted to kiss her again. She tasted like sweet honey, and I wanted more of it.  
"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

I hadn't realized I was staring. "Y-yes. I'm alright." I backed up a little, keeping my head pointed at the floor and giving her some space. "Sorry, again."

"For what?"

"I'm not sure why I keep doing that."

She giggled slightly. "Well, I did say that it was okay, Zach."

I looked up at her. Her face was adorably flushed. "Why?"

"I don't know. I just felt like it was."

 _Gods, this girl is always surprising me._

"What's wrong, Zach?"

I smirked. "I believe you just asked me that question."

She shook her head. "I'm not talking about the kiss. I mean what happened before. I was going to leave and you pleaded for me to stay. Why?"

I looked back down at my sandals. "I- I just wanted you to stay." I tried to find the right words to say. "I guess…because I'm scared.

CammiePOV:  
I watched as Prince Nebtawi crumbled right in front of me.

I gently touched my palm to her cheek. "Look at me." He did as he was told and lifted his head. "I know you have a lot going on right now. The next few months will be especially hard for you." I stopped talking and listened as he drew in a shaky breath. "Please, don't try to do it alone."

He nodded. "Okay."

"I will help you get through this. Okay?"

He nodded again. I rested my forehead against his.

"Hey Cammie?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

I smiled. "No problem."

I moved closer to him. He started to lean into me. I closed my eyes and anxiously awaited the feeling of his lips on mine once again.

Suddenly, the door burst open. We immediately jumped away from each other.

"I'm baack!" It was none other than my brother.

Zach smiled. "Grant! Hey, buddy." They did that strange man hug. The prince's whole demeanor had changed.

I bowed. "Welcome back, Prince Grant."

"Good to be back. Looks like I've missed a lot." I remembered that look from my childhood. It usually meant bad news for me.

Zach scrambled to try and find something to say to him. "Cammie has been helping me learn more about being Pharaoh. My dad's only got a few months left and I have no idea how to run a country."

"Wait, seriously? Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't know until I got back."

Grant ran his hand through his hair. "Well shit, bro."

"It's alright. I've come to accept it."

Grant turned to me. "How do you know how to run a country?"

"My parents taught me when I was younger."

"Strange. Most English families don't teach their children things like that."

"From what I understand, Cammie's parents were pretty high up in English society," Zach cut in.

Grant looked at me incredulously. "Really? Why are you here then?"

"I was kidnapped from my family and held prisoner for years before being sold."

Zach nodded. "Her story is pretty crazy."

"Can't wait to hear more about it."

I bowed to both of them. "I will take my leave now. It's nice to see you again, Prince Grant. Prince Nebtawi, I will see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Cammie. See you tomorrow."

Grant waved as I walk out the door. "Nice to see you too!"

 _Well, that was weird._

ZachPOV:

After Cammie left the room, Grant turned to look at me. "Did I see what I think I saw?"

I looked anywhere but his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean what do I mean? You were totally about to kiss her."

"Well, I-uh…"

He smacked me on the back. "We have a lot to catch up on."

Knowing that he wouldn't give it up until I told him everything, I sighed. "Well, I guess it started when I got back from England. I walked into the throne room to let my dad know I was back. Wouldn't you know, I found him lip-locked with Cammie and he had his hands up her skirt."

Grant shook his head in disgust.

"Thankfully, I got there right in time. He let her go."

"Thank god."

I nodded in agreement. "When I saw her the next day, she was actually okay. Apparently, the guy who took her from her family did even worse to her, more than once."

He gasped. "How awful!"

"A few days later, I found out that my dad was dying. I knew I needed to talk to someone about it, and you weren't here, so I told her. She offered to help me learn more about being a good Pharaoh. One day, I just kissed her. I'm still not entirely sure why."

"So this wasn't the first time?"

I shook my head. "No. She disappeared for a few days after that, and when she came back, we talked about it and I assured her that I was not my father. I wasn't taking advantage of her."

"Well, yeah. Everyone knows you're not like that, Zach."

"She said that too. Then, as she was leaving, I kissed her again. I wanted to see if she felt the same spark that I did the last time."

"And did she?"

"Yeah. It was written all over her face. When I confronted her about it, she deflected it back to me. That was yesterday."

"And what happened today?"

"Well, I asked about what I would need to look for in a wife. She basically described herself in her answer. Then we talked about my dad's condition getting worse. I kissed her again as she was about to leave."

He looked at me questioningly. "You sure you're not taking advantage of her?"

"Of course not! She actually gave me permission this time."

"Wow. Really?"

I nodded. "Then she comforted me because I'm still absolutely terrified of being Pharaoh. We were just about to kiss again when you walked in."

He chuckled. "You, my friend, have got it bad for this girl."

I sat down on the bed. "Yeah, I think I do."

"But?"

I looked up at him. "But to be with her is completely forbidden. She could be killed if I'm not careful."

He sat down next to me. "Well, shit."

"You got that right. Shit."


	16. Chapter 16

CammiePOV:

Flustered, I shut the door to the servant's quarters behind me.

"So? How'd it go?" I heard.

"From the look on her face, I'd say it went pretty well," Macey said with an evil smile.

I blushed some more.

"Oh it totally worked," Bex added.

 _Maybe I should say something before this gets out of hand._ "Grant's back."

Thankfully, that got their attention away from my love life for the time being.

"Really? I thought there would be a pretty good chance he wouldn't be able to come back for a while," Liz said. "But I'm glad he's back."

Bex nodded. "He can be safe here, for now."

"My thoughts exactly," I said. "I'm just glad he's okay. Still no wife though."

"That will be a problem."

"We should find him one!" Macey exclaimed.

"What?"

She stood up from her seat on the floor. "We can help him find a wife. Who's better for the job than a woman?"

"I'm pretty sure our mom already tried that," I said.

"No offense, Cam, but she's far from our age. Things have changed quite a bit since she was last on the market for a husband."

"That's true," Liz said.

"Think about it, we know what girls his age like in a guy because we are his age."

"Fair enough," I said, finally giving in. He did need some help.

"It's settled then. I will offer Prince Grant my services," Macey said. "We will talk to him tomorrow."

"Yeah. We can all go with Cam to clean Prince Nebtawi's chambers," Bex said. Everyone agreed.

"Besides, I want to see Project Zammie in action." Macey winked in my direction.

 _Oh, dear god. What did I just get my brother into?_

ZachPOV:

The next day, Grant and I had finally caught up. We were just hanging out when the door opened.

"Afternoon, Your Highness."

"Hey Cammie. And everyone else?" I said.

"We decided to come along with Nefratiti today," Sheriti said.

"I have a proposition for Prince Grant."

I glanced at Grant before looking incredulously at Cammie. She noticed and rolled her eyes.

 _What are they up to?_

Kepi bowed to him. "I would like to offer you my services in finding a wife."

"What can you do?"

"Unlike everyone who has helped you thus far, I am a woman of the same age as the ones you're looking for."

"She's also our residential guy expert in the servants' quarters," Sheriti added.

"What's that mean?" I asked.

The woman in question looked at me. "It means I know everything that has occurred in this room in the past month."

I shut up after that.

"Macey, please don't start that right now," Cammie said.

Liz nodded in agreement.

"Anyway…sure. I do need a wife, and I don't even know where to start."

"Good choice." She nodded.

Just when I thought that they would all leave, Grant started again. "But…I'm not the only one here that needs one."

I sighed. _Of course he brought me into this._

"Wait, what?" Liz looked over at me. "You need a wife too?

"Uh…yeah. Dad's dying."

They all looked at me with sad eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness. I was not aware."

"It's okay, Liz. I've come to terms with it."

Macey smirked. "You don't need to look very far, Prince Nebtawi."

I immediately knew what she meant. I looked down at my feet. "That would be illegal."

Bex snorted. "No, it's not."

"Yes, it is," Grant said.

"Not if she tells you—"

Cammie covered her mouth. "Bad idea, Liz. You know I can't do that."

"What would she have to tell him?" Grant asked Macey.

She looked back at him. "Her biggest secret."

Bex shook her head. "But that's too dangerous."

"Okay, now I'm curious." _What hasn't she told me?_

She looked at me and shook her head. "Please, don't."

I nodded. "Alright, I won't push."

"Thank you."

I wanted to be alone with her so badly. I gave Grant a look that told him to get everyone out. He nodded in understanding.

"Let's let Cammie get to her work. She still has to clean the room."

"But—"

"We can continue our conversations outside."

"But I wanted to—"

"Time to go." Grant shut the door behind them.

I looked at Cammie and flashed my signature smirk. "Hey."

CammiePOV:

"Hey." He had that annoyingly sexy smirk on his face when he spoke.

"Hey."

"I know I said I wouldn't push but…"

I knew he wouldn't just let it go.

"Is it something bad?"

I looked at him with wide eyes. I was totally expecting him to ask me to explain everything. "Uh...no. The secret itself isn't anything bad. It's the repercussions that worry me."

He nodded. "I can understand that."

"Thank you."

He looked at me with confusion. "For what?"

"For not pushing until I tell you. That's the only reason that the girls know."

I began cleaning in a comfortable silence. I could still hear the muffled voices of the girls and Grant outside.

"Hey, Cammie?"

I looked up at the prince. "Yes, Your Highness?"

He looked as though he was in deep thought. "Is it that awful that my dad is dying and I couldn't care less?"

I smiled. "I don't think so. He hasn't exactly been a great father to you, husband to your mother, or Pharaoh to his people." I paused for a moment. "I think you will be much better than he was."

His eyes widened. "Do you really think so? What if I mess up?"

"You will be just fine, Your Highness."

He stood and was very quickly standing right in front of me. I got up from the floor. "Will you help me even after I become Pharaoh?"

 _He really still wants my help?_ "I'd be happy to." I smirked at him. "But that means that you're stuck with me."

Outside, the hall had gone silent, but I knew they were still out there listening to smiled. "I think I can live with that."

He leaned in closer and I closed my eyes. I felt that spark once again and smiled against his lips. Noticing this, he pulled away.

"What was that?" He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Just shut up." I guided him back to my lips with a hand I had placed of the nape of his neck.

 _I could get used to this._


	17. Chapter 17

CammiePOV:

I shut the door behind me and found all of my friends and my big brother looking at me knowingly.

"Stop looking at me like that."

Macey shrugged her shoulders. "Like what, Cam?"

I just glared at her.

Liz laughed and grabbed my arm. "Come on. Time to go back to the servants' quarters."

The girls pulled me away from the prince's door, obviously wanting to talk about what they had heard.

"See you later, girls!" Grant called. I saw him open up the door to Zach's room and go inside.

ZachPOV:

As sson as the door closed behind her, I ran to my bed and threw myself onto it with a contempt sigh.

"Wow." _That was amazing._

I looked up when I heard the door reopen. Grant strolled in with a smirk on his face. "From what I could hear from outside and the blush on Cammie's face when she came out, I'd say things went well."

I chuckled. "Yeah. I guess you could say that." I sat up on the bed. "Thanks for getting the others out. She opens up more when she's alone."

"That's what best friends are for, right?"

I smiled and nodded. "So, Macey is going to help you find a wife?"

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess. I just figured what could be the harm, you know?"

I nodded. "True. I just hope she can handle your stupidity."

He took off his shoe and threw it at me. "Shut up, Zach."

"Ow, that hurt."

"I'm not that intolerable, you know."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. My mind drifted back to Cammie. She had kissed me this time and I was ecstatic.

Grant smiled knowingly at me. "So, is she worth the risk of getting caught?"

I thought seriously about that for a moment. "She is, but that fact just makes me think even more that it's not a good idea."

He nodded in understanding. "I wonder what they meant about her secret? Did she say anything about it after we left?"

"Just that it's not the secret that's bad, but the possible repercussions that come from telling it."

"Hmm. Weird."

"I agree, but I'm not going to push it any further." I looked at my best friend with a warning in my eye. "And neither should you, got it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, buddy. I got it."

CammiePOV:

When we reached the servants' quarters, the girls immediately sat me down and started asking me tons of questions. I told them about me kissing him this time and Macey nodded her approval. Liz squealed with excitement while Bex just smiled.

"I'm sorry for almost telling them about you, Cammie." Liz looked down at her clasped hands sitting in her lap.

I smiled warmly. "It's alright. I was more worried for you than myself."

Bex spoke up. "Yeah, Lizzie. You could've been accused of treason."

"Hey Bex?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"I've been meaning to ask you. Do you know why your parents were accused of treason? What did they do?"

She let out a huff. "Actually, I think they had claimed to have seen you with a strange man in our village. When they couldn't find any evidence to prove it, they were accused of wanting to toy with the royal family's emotions, giving them false hope that their princess was still alive."

"Where was your village?"

"Brunswick was the name. It wasn't very far from where the castle is."

I gasped. "Bex, I think your parents might actually have seen me. That's the village I was held in all those years."

Her eyes widened and she started to tear up a little. "Really?"

I nodded and put my hand on her shoulder. "I promise, if I ever make it back home, I will make absolutely sure that your family is cleared of all suspicions."

She pulled me into a tight hug. "Even if you don't, thank you. I'm just glad that I can finally know for myself."

The other two joined in on the hug as well. We sat and held each other as the sun set on that very strange day.


	18. Chapter 18

ZachPOV:

"Hey Nick?"

The guard peered into the room from his post outside the door. "Yes, Your Highness?"

"My father has left the palace for a few days. Could you tell the servants that, until he returns, they do not need to wear their headdresses, wigs, or eye makeup?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Sure thing. I was going to go there after I was relieved anyway."

I smirked. "Oh really? Why?"

He blushed a little. "Well, I'm kind of seeing Ma- uh…Kepi."

That was news to me. "Really? Way to go, buddy!"

He chuckled and ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah."

"That's awesome."

Then the next guard arrived to take his place.

"I will let the girls know about the uniform stuff. See you later, Your Highness."

"See you."

 _The next few days should be interesting._

CammiePOV:

When Nick arrived, he and Macey instantly embraced. I rolled my eyes and smiled at their displays of affection.

"Get a room," Bex yelled at them.

They broke apart and Macey stuck her tongue out.

"Hey, I actually have a message from Prince Nebtawi. It seems that Pharaoh will be gone for the next few days. He said to tell everyone that headdresses and eye makeup is optional until he returns."

Liz gasped. "Wow. That was very nice of him."

We all agreed.

"He really is so much nicer than his father," I said.

He nodded. "He's always been that way."

Nick left soon after and Macey snapped around to look at us. "If we don't need to wear wigs today, we should definitely wash."

"But that'd take forever to fill four baths with water."

She just smiled back at me. "Who said anything about using a bathtub?"

The three of us looked at each other with pure confusion and then back at our friend. She grabbed our uniforms minus the wigs and walked out of the room. We followed her all the way to the back of the palace.

Finally There we stood, facing the river. Macey set down the clothes and stepped in.

I looked at her incredulously. "Are you crazy?"

"Actually, bathing in the river is much more sanitary," Liz offered.

Bex shrugged and got in. Liz followed closely behind.

"What if someone sees us?"

"Just get in, Cammie," Macey called back.

I sighed and gave in, joining them in the cold river water.

We spent the next half hour washing ourselves, paying special attention to our hair. When we got out and put on our uniforms, Macey helped all of us style our natural hair to look more presentable.

Macey styled her own hair the exact same as it was every day, straight down. However, she left her normal, golden headdress off.

Liz's short blonde hair was topped with a golden headband to keep it out of her face.

Bex styled her dark brown curls pulled up into a high ponytail tied with a white and gold braided band.

For my hair, she scrunched it a little and left it down in dirty blonde waves. She claimed that it looked best natural and I didn't care enough to disagree with her.

"Alright. We're ready," she said.

"I love this headband!" Liz said.

I nodded. "You did a great job with everyone's hair, Macey. Thank you."

She smirked. "Careful, Cam. You're royalness is showing."

"Oh, shut up." I nudged her shoulder as we walked back to the servants' quarters. We all laughed and got ready to go through the day.

ZachPOV:

Grant and I lounged around in my quarters for the day. My tutor, Jonas had joined us for the day, and Nick was the one guarding. It was cool to have all of my friends together again. It'd been so long. Since the day Cammie came, actually.

It was mid-afternoon by the time the girls came to clean. All four of them came in again today.

When they entered, I had some trouble recognizing anyone. I looked over at Grant and was even more confused. He was looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"Afternoon, ladies. Would you mind telling us who you are. You all look so different now."

"Well, I'm Macey, obviously. Or Kepi. This is my natural hair, I don't have a wig like the others." Nick went to her and kissed her. I'd forgotten they were together. It was weird to see them acting like a couple.

A short, blonde-haired girl with hazel eyes stepped forward and bowed. "I'm Liz. Sheriti, if you prefer." I looked over and saw Jonas blushing.

A tan-skinned girl with curly hair in a ponytail and dark brown eyes went next. "I'm Bex. My other name is Sêshafi."

white;"I looked to the last girl in the line. She was definitely beautiful. She bowed. "And I'm Cammie. Or Nefratiti."

I stared at her. She was even more beautiful now than ever. I noticed Grant was also staring at her.

 _How strange, I thought. What's up with him?_


	19. Chapter 19

CammiePOV:

I lifted my head to see Prince Nebtawi staring at me. I immediately blushed. Suddenly, I realized what being here without my wig and makeup could mean. I slowly moved my gaze to look at my brother.

Grant was frozen in shock as he stared at me. I could see the wheels starting to turn in his mind. I looked around and noticed that everyone else was watching him as well. The guys all looked concerned, while the girls were obviously trying not to smile.

Liz leaned over to me. "Looks like he may have figured out your secret," she said with a smile.

Zach's eyes zipped to look in my direction. He had obviously heard what Liz had said to me. When I gave him no answer he moved back to Grant.

The entire room was completely silent for a very long time. No one dared move."Hey, Grant. You okay, buddy?" Zach finally asked, breaking the silence.

He didn't answer him but you could see that he had heard. He shot up from his seat and started to make his way to me.

Everyone in the room was holding their breath.

He reached out his hand to touch my cheek, and I knew that he knew. Tears began to form in my eyes.

"Cammie-Bear?"

As soon as I heard my old nickname, the tears started to flow down my cheeks.

"Is it really you?"

I nodded.

Bex then moved over to us and nodded. "It is."

That was all he needed to hear. With tears in his eyes, Grant wrapped his arms around me and let out a sob.

This set off the waterworks in Liz, who immediately started balling. Macey and Bex smiled at us.

"What is happening right now?"

Suddenly, we were snapped back into reality by the sound of Prince Nebtawi's confused voice.

ZachPOV:

I was completely confused at that moment. What the hell was going on? When I finally spoke, everyone stopped what they were doing to look at me.

"I'm just as confused as you are, buddy," Nick said. Jonas nodded in agreement as well.

Cammie stepped away from Grant. "This is my secret I was telling you about."

 _What's that supposed to mean?_

She started walking toward me. Even in my confusion, I couldn't help but notice how naturally beautiful she was.

She bowed to me and began to explain. "I guess I should properly introduce myself now. My name is Cameron Ann Morgan. I am Grant's younger sister."

I froze and just stared at her in silence. Jonas had a similar reaction. Grant smiled and wiped a tear from his eye. Nick practically exploded.

"What?!"

 _Now that I think about it, she does look quite a lot like Queen Rachel._

She addressed the four of us. "I'm sorry I didn't tell any of you. I was afraid of what would happen if you didn't believe me."

Jonas nodded in understanding. Nick listened intently. I still hadn't moved, so it was up to Grant to respond.

"It's alright, Cam. I'm just glad you're still alive."

She smiled and hugged the man who was apparently her brother. "I just wish it hadn't taken so long."

Then Nick spoke up and asked the question that had been on my mind as well. "What would have happened if we didn't believe you?"

"She would've been accused of treason and sentenced to death," Bex explained.

 _No wonder she kept her true identity hidden. But then, how did the girls find out about it?_

Cammie nodded. "Just like Bex's parents."

"What happened to Bex's parents?" Jonas asked.

Cammie looked down at the floor. "They reported that they had seen the princess in their village market not long after I went missing. When the royal soldiers found no evidence to support their claims, they were arrested and executed."

Grant gasped. "That's terrible."

She nodded. "The most tragic part about it is that I'm pretty sure they did see me. Their hometown was also the village that I was kept in all those years." She shook her head in disgust. "If only those soldiers had done justa little more investigating; Bex would still have her parents, and I would have been found so many years ago. It could've saved both of us from some terrible experiences."

"Wha—"

Cammie cut Grant off. "I don't think you want to know what kinds of experiences I meant, Grant. You wouldn't like the answers."

I knew that to be true. Even though she had only given me a few hints as to what that man did to her, I knew that Grant wouldn't be able to handle it.

He nodded in a silent understanding. "We will find the man who did this to you and have him punished."

"Of course. I would also like for Bex's parents to be cleared of their charges. The Baxter name no longer has a reason to be tarnished."

He agreed, obviously.

CammiePOV:

I looked back at Zach, realizing he still hadn't really spoken. "Prince Nebtawi, are you alright?"

He looked confused. "Yes, I think so. I'm still processing all of this."

"I know it's a lot, so please, just take your time."

I could see that he was thinking hard about something. His left eyebrow had a tendency to twitch when he was focusing.

I turned to everyone else in the room. I needed to get them out of here so that he would actually talk to me. "I know this is bad timing, but could I speak with Prince Nebtawi alone for a moment?"

"But I just—" Grant began.

"We have the rest of our lives to catch up, Grant. I promise I'm not going to disappear again once you look away."

The girls helped in getting everyone out of the room. I'm sure they would be discussing and answering questions that the boys had. And listening in, of course.

When the door closed behind them, I turned back to Zach. "What would you like to know?"

He paused for a moment to make sure I was being serious before speaking. "Why didn't Grant realize it sooner?"

That certainly wasn't what I was expecting. "Well, uh…I guess probably because I always had the wig and the makeup on. Plus, it has been over ten years since he last saw his little sister."

He nodded. "I guess that would make sense."

"I know you have lots of questions, Zach. And I will happily answer every one. Even if it takes years to ask them all."

He smiled and my heart did its normal fluttering. "I guess this explains why you know so much about running a kingdom."

I laughed, glad that he was back to his normal self. "Yes, it does. You have no idea how many times I've almost let it slip since we met."

"So many things about you make total sense now."

I smiled bigger than I ever had. "I'm glad you have literally uncovered every single secret I've ever had."

We laughed together.

We were both silent for a moment. Then he made a face like he had realized something that made him very happy. He looked back up into my eyes and I felt my heart stop. His green eyes were so entrancing and I couldn't break my gaze. He stepped a little bit closer to where I stood. My heart rate increased by a million.

"So…I guess you being a princess also means that it would no longer be illegal if I were to kiss you?"

My mouth wouldn't move so I shook my head. I was completely at his mercy.

He stepped closer and rested his hand under my chin. "Good."

 **So, before you all freak out...**

 **No, THIS IS NOT THE FINAL CHAPTER of this story. I have 2 more chapter planned after this, so don't you worry.**


	20. Chapter 20

CammiePOV:

Life got a little crazy after the reveal of my identity. I was freed from slavery, Pharaoh returned, and I got on a boat to go home to see my mom.

"I can't wait for her to see you," Grant said to me. "She's going to be so surprised."

I looked to him in shock. "You haven't told her yet?"

He shook his head. "I thought it'd be more fun this way."

I rolled my eyes. Only my brother would make a game out of something like this.

The shores of my homeland pulled into the view. I sighed at its absolute beauty. I was really nervous about seeing my mother for the first time in 10 years.

Grant noticed my nervous attitude and took a hold my hand. "Come on. We need to get you presentable before you see her." He led me into a room and left me with a few maids to help me get dressed.

A few hours later, we were standing right outside of the grand doors leading into the throne room. I had on a beautiful, light blue gown, and my hair was put up into a gorgeous messy up-do. There was a little bit of blush added to my cheeks.

I was really trying to control my breathing, and the corset I had been forced to wear wasn't really helping.

"God, you really do look exactly like Mom."

I smiled and curtseyed. "Thank you."

"Wait out here."

I nodded and he went inside. I moved close to the door so that I could hear what was being said.

"Welcome home, sweetheart," I heard a woman say.

"Glad to be home, mother." That one was definitely Grant.

"How was Egypt? How is dear Zachary?"

At the mention of Prince Nebtawi, I smiled, thinking about the last time I saw him and the way he kissed me goodbye before the boat left the dock.

"He's good. He's been looking for a wife as well. It seems that his father doesn't have a lot of time left."

"Oh I'm so sorry to hear that. Send him my love."

"Of course." There was a large pause. "Mother? When I was in Egypt, I found someone that I think you'll be happy to—"

I heard a gasp. "A wife? How wonderful!"

"No, not a wife. Something even better." There was a short pause. "You can come in now." There was my cue.

The doors opened and I walked in. The first thing that caught my eye was Grant. Behind him was a very regal-looking woman. She had her silvering blonde hair pulled back into a bun, a familiar crown adorning her head.

I knew immediately who she was: my mother.

I curtseyed politely and waited for her to speak. She had put her hand to her mouth, her eyes were brimmed with tears.

When minutes passed with no one speaking, I decided to say something.

"H-hello, mother. Do you remember me?"

That must've done it because the next thing I knew, I was engulfed in a tight embrace. She smelled exactly like I remembered, lavender.

"Oh, Cameron. Is it really you?"

I nodded and she let out a sob, hugging me tighter.

By this time both of us were sobbing. I'm pretty sure Grant let out a few tears as well.

She pulled back. "Let me look at you."

I twirled for her and she clapped her hands together.

"You look so beautiful. Where were you all these years? In Egypt?"

I shook my head. "I was taken from the gardens late at night by a man named Joshua Abrams. He took me to a small village not far from here and kept me in his basement. Sometimes he would let me go with him to the market. When the men in town started to take more notice of me, he panicked and sold me into slavery. For the past year, I've been working as one of Prince Nebtawi's servants."

She pulled me into another hug. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"Don't be. I'm just glad to finally be home."

She pulled away and looked back at Grant. "She's been in Egypt for a whole year and you're just bringing her to me now?"

He scrambled for something to say but I cut him off.

"I did a pretty good job of hiding myself. I was scared what would happen if someone found out who I really was. So, don't blame Grant. He recognized me the second he saw me without the black wig and thick eyeliner."

She shook her head. "Fine, but I still think he should've seen it sooner."

"She's right. I should have."

I shook my head and put a hand on his shoulder. "Stop beating yourself up, Grant. You brought me home."

He nodded solemnly.

I looked back at my mother. "Hey mom? When I was in Egypt, I met a young woman whose parents were wrongly accused of treason and killed. I would like your help in clearing her family name."

She looked skeptical.

"Many years ago, her parents reported that they had seen me in the market. When the soldiers couldn't find any evidence that I had been there, they were killed. We know now that it was me they saw that day. They lived in the same village that Joshua did. I truly believe that if those soldiers had done a better job, my friend's parents would still be alive, and I would've been home much sooner."

She gasped at the injustice and the thought of how close they had been to finding me and failing. "How awful! We will get to work on that right away."

"Oh, and mom? There's something else…"


End file.
